Chocolate-Glazed Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. instant espresso powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1/3 cup canola oil 
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 3 tbsp. fate-free half-and-half

Makes 24 Servings (1/24 of cake per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 352 F. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick spray. 
2. To make the cake, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Combine the cocoa, chopped chocolate, and espresso in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over the cocoa mixture, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Whisk together the buttermilk, oil, egg, and egg white in a large bowl; stir in the cocoa mixture until blended. Gradually add the flour mixture, stirring just until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.
3. Pour the mixture into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely on the rack. 
4. To make the glaze, whisk together the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Let stand until cool and thickened, about 15 minutes. Place the cake on a serving plate. Pour the glaze over, allowing it to drip down the side of the cake. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. Chocolate bundt cake is elegant and delicious. The recipe is tasty and delicious. The original recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar. I cut the sugar in half and the cake was just as delicious. The bundt cake makes a great sweet ending when you have company over for dinner. You can even make individual bundt cakes and they will still be delicious. The recipe calls for 45-50 cooking time for a whole bundt cake. If you make mini-bundt cakes, cut the cooking time in half because the cakes do rise. 

Sea Bass with Green Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 (6 oz.) sea bass filets
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 1/4 cup lightly packed tender watercress sprigs
• 2 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Makes 4 Servings (1 bass filet and about 2 tablespoons sauce per serving)

1. Sprinkle the sea bass with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Spray a skillet with olive oil spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the fillets, skin side up, and cook until just opaque in the center, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm. 
2. Combine the parsley, scallions, watercress, ginger, vinegar, water, oil, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender and puree. Spoon the sauce over the fish. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. Who says fast food is not good for you? You can have your fast food and eat it too when it's done properly. The green sauce adds an elegant touch to this dish. You can use any kind of meaty white fish in this recipe and the dish will still be good. 

Summer Rolls with Crab and Mango

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. chili-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. Asian (dark) sesame oil
• 8 (6-inch) round rice paper wrappers
• 4 large Boston lettuce leaves, each cut lengthwise in half
• 1 small mango, peeled, pitted, and cut lengthwise into strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 4 imitation crab sticks (6 oz.), each cut lengthwise in half
• 16 sprigs fresh cilantro

Makes 4 Servings (2 rolls and 1 1/2 tbsp. sauce per serving)

1. To make dipping sauce, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, honey, chili paste, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
2. To assemble rolls, working one at a time, dip rice paper wrappers in a bowl or warm water; let stand jus until soft, about 30 seconds. Place on clean kitchen towel. Place 1 lettuce piece in center of each wrapper. Top lettuce with one eighth of mango, bell pepper, and bean sprouts. Top each with a piece of crab stick and 2 cilantro sprigs. Fold in sides and roll up to enclose filling. Press gently to seal. Cut each roll in half on diagonal. Serve with dipping sauce. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Tastier than Takeout Cookbook. I don't eat Asian food often but when I make it at home, it's actually quite filling and tasty. The combination of crab, mango and vegetables is deliciously filling. Serve these as an appetizer and it will feel like a light lunch. When you handle the rice papers wrappers, always follow the directions. They can get sticky VERY fast and it can be challenging to wrap those around the filling.